Trampoline diving platform



arch 21, 1967 D. s HOWE 3,319,305

TRAMPOLINE DIVING PLATFORM Filed Sept. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTOR. DWI G S. HOWE ATTORNEYS March 21, 1967 D. s. HOWE 3,31%,305

TRAMPOLINE DIVING PLATFORM Filed Sept. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /2@ I II I! ll i 4; 23 I 33 l J 3g 5;: H l M 26, l 1 I II r I l m 76 /5 INVENTOR. DWIGHT S. HOWE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,310,305 TRAMPOLINE DIVING PLATFORM Dwight S. Howe, 5815 Garber Drive NE., Atlanta, Ga. 30328 Filed Sept. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 393,856 2 Claims. (Cl. 272-65) This application relates to diving apparatus and is particularly concerned with a trampoline in combination with a jump tower for location at a swimming pool whereby the trampoline may act in the manner of a spring board for projecting a diver into the water. An important feature of the invention is the inclination of the trampoline toward the water surface whereby the rebound of the user will automatically be in the direction of the water.

It is among the general objects of the invention to provide a novel use for a trampoline whereby its inherent flexible characteristics, commonly associated with gymnasium type acrobatics, may be applied to diving and Water sports.

It is a further object to provide a diving type trampoline of inclined character for location adjacent to a body of water whereby the direction of rebound, applied by the elasticity of the trampoline will be outwardly in the direction of the body of water.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the combination with a trampoline arranged adjacent to a body of water a platform or jump tower, whereby the user may in a single act utilize the trampoline as a spring board for diving without requiring the usual preliminary jumping to obtain the full effect of the trampoline resiliency.

It is also an object of the invention to provide in combination with a trampoline of the character set forth a two stage jump tower whereby children may be accommodated without risk of accident or subjecting them to the hazards of a higher jump more suitable for adults.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jump tower in combination with a trampoline in which the relationship is fixed to insure a maintenance of the tower and trampoline relationship at all times.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of that form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the present form of the invention.

In the presently preferred form of the invention, a skeletal frame is provided including a pair of spaced parallel base rails joined at one end by a trampoline base end rail 11 and at the other end by a ladder base end rail 12. The side base rails 10 are further joined intermediate to their ends with a front transverse tower base rail 14 parallel to the end rails 11 and 12. At the forward end of the frame at the juncture of side rails 10 with the ends of the base end rail 11, short vertical front trampoline corner posts 15 are provided. Inwardly along the rails 10 and secured thereto there are provided longer vertical rear trampoline corner posts 16 parallel to the shorter trampoline corner posts 15.

The trampoline itself includes rectangular outer frame 18 supported in inclined position by the corner posts 15 and 16. The trampoline may be of any desired conventional form. As shown here for purposes of illustration, from the frame 18 there extend inwardly on all sides the usual resilient trampoline shock cords 19, the ends of which are engaged with the usual trampoline take off surface 20. It will, of course, be recognized that the of design, materials and construction, it will be understood that the present device contemplates any conventional construction well known to those skilled in the art.

By virtue of the difference in height between the front and.

rear trampoline corner posts 15 and 16, the frame 18 will be inclined, as will the surface 20, in a downward direction toward the surface of the water and in such manner that the user will be projected upwardly and outwardly toward the water in response to a vertical drop from the jump tower.

The jump tower is formed by the provision of vertical forward tower rails 22 rising from the side rails 10 at the juncture thereof with the tower base rail 14 in combination with inclined vertically extending ladder runners 24 arising from the rear end of the side rails 10 at their juncture with the ladder base end rail 12. Between the runners 24 ladder treads 23 are provided whereby the user may readily reach the upper rectangular jump tower platform 25. From the upper jump platform 25 the mature user may jump outwardly to the trampoline surface 20, whereupon the weight of the impact in combination with the inclination of the trampoline will cause the user to rebound upwardly and outwardly over the surface of the water. For safety and convenience side hand rails 26 are provided for the upper platform 25 of the jump tower supported by a vertical support 28 at the corners of the platform.

At a suitable spaced distance below the upper tower platform 25 there is provided a lower childs platform 30 extending forwardly from the ladder steps and projecting forwardly beyond the front edge of the upper tower platform 25. By this arrangement the child may be accommodated for use of the device without the required length of jump either outwardly towards the trampoline surface or downwardly from the top of the tower. Though the degree of rebound will be less by virtue of light weight and shorter distances, the direction of rebound will insure the propulsion of the child to the water. As noted at 32, the trampoline frame is braced and the distance thereof from the front of the tower is maintained by horizontal brace bars 32 disposed in spaced parallel relation above the side rails 10.

In the use of the present invention the end rail 11 of the frame of the device is preferably located on or adjacent to the rim 34 of the swimming pool, the waters of which are indicated at 35. Children or adults may conveniently ascend to the platforms 30 or 25 respectively by the ladder to jump outwardly and downwardly from either the top platform or the intermediate childs platform. Upon jumping, the trampoline surface will yield and spring back, causing the user to rebound. The trampoline surface being inclined will cause the rebound to be in a direction outwardly toward the water as distinct from the normal vertical rebound of conventional trampoline surfaces.

It is to be noted that since the frame is a skeletal structure, the device, while rigid, rugged and durable, is of light weight to be easily moved for storage and/or to various locations at the waters edge. While the invention is not limited to any particular type of manufacture or material, it is here shown as formed of angle metal in order to withstand rough usage. It will be seen that the invention provides a novel diving device insuring an out ward direction of rebound over the water to preclude accidents. The intermediate childs platform insures safe use of the device by children. The unitized rigid construction assures a permanent platform to trampoline spacing avoiding the danger of excessive risk by overdaring users. The slanting surface not only projects the user to the water Q but insures a continuous motion from platform, to tram poline, to Water, thus permitting rapid successive use by successive persons avoiding danger to persons by injurious contact as could readily occur were the trampoline horizontal.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. A diving device of the character set forth including a portable jump tower, an upper and a lower jump platform mounted on said tower, said lower platform projecting beyond the vertical plane of one edge of said upper platform, a ladder to facilitate access to said platforms and a downwardly inclined trampoline fixedly supported below said platforms and beyond the vertical plane of the edge of the protruding portion of the said lower portion, said trampoline having its lowermost end disposed remote from said jump tower and its uppermost end disposed adjacent said jump tower.

2. A jump tower and downwardly inclined trampoline combination including a portable frame, a jump tower defined by said frame, upper and lower jump platforms supported by said tower, the lower platform protruding beyond said upper platform, a trampoline support defined by said frame beyond said jump tower, a trampoline frame carried by said trampoline support at a downward inclination to the horizontal and to the plane of said jump platform, and a trampoline mounted in said trampoline frame below said jump platforms, and downwardly inclined with its lowermost end being disposed remote from said jump tower and its uppermost end being disposed adjacent said jump tower.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,068,386 1/1937 Otis 272-66 2,324,970 7/1943 Woolley.

2,858,132 10/1958 Sidlinger 27266 X 3,003,763 10/1961 Griffith et al 272-66 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

F. BARRY SHAY, Examiner.

L. J. BOVASSO, A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A DIVING DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER SET FORTH INCLUDING A PORTABLE JUMP TOWER, AN UPPER AND A LOWER JUMP PLATFORM MOUNTED ON SAID TOWER, SAID LOWER PLATFORM PROJECTING BEYOND THE VERTICAL PLANE OF ONE EDGE OF SAID UPPER PLATFORM, A LADDER TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO SAID PLATFORMS AND A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED TRAMPOLINE FIXEDLY SUPPORTED BELOW SAID PLATFORMS AND BEYOND THE VERTICAL PLANE OF THE EDGE OF THE PROTRUDING PORTION OF THE SAID LOWER PORTION, 